To begin with, what is visualisation? It is a process to make something invisible visible. Sounds complicated? Let me explain more in this post.

Many ideas are abstract, and in fact idea itself already is an abtract and invisible thing. Here, I am going to dicuss two different representations of visualizations , including the use of objects and the use of non-objects.

Firstly, to present abstract idea, real object can help. In this article, the author managed to represent 200 calories using various food, including a big bags of tomato, a small fries, and several M&Ms.

Secondly, we can represent invisible object using non-objects such as imaginary lines, lights, music.

Timo has written in his blog that uses dotted line as an example to display key information element, including representation of hidden geometry, as movement, as paths, as expectation… Just like this 3 little dashes I just typed! This shows that dashed line made invisible objects, location and expectation into something that you can printed on paper! Here is an example:

[Even the butterfly hasn’t fly to the spot, but I have drawn out the predicted path of it.]

Another example of visualisation in this week’s reading is the series of audiovisual projects done by AntiVJ. The one I loved most is AntiVJ presents: Déshérence

It is a project with light projected onto a building, which made the building moves. For example, light projected on empty walls can give building window with flickering candlelights at the window pane. Or imaginary pictures, which made the building looked like it is collasping! Just like the dashed line that created something invisible, this audiovisual project created the interior of the building using different shades of light, which is really amazing, especially when the ‘bricks’ of the building ‘moved’ in and out! It’s just like a haunted house!

There’re many ways to visualize ideas, for example how do we show God? Objects may be a church, some believers, a cross, a bible, etc. can represent God. Non-objects can be worship, love, earth, prayers and much more! And even the non-objects can become visualised, for example, by drawing or writing it out. For example in this drawing, love can be shown by drawing a heart-shape and so on.

Take home exercise: You can challenge yourself and your friend in visualizing really complicated ideas! How about smell? Cough? Speed? Try to list out all objects and non-objects that can display these abstract ideas and see who can write up the the longest list!